Friday, March 4, 2011

TARTINE BAKERY'S PUMPKIN PIE - RIP NANA

Today, I wish to dedicate my post to my beloved English grandmother Jean Margaret Robinson (née Cutts, 13.09.1927-18.02.2011) who passed away peacefully on Friday the 18th of February 2011 at the age of 84, nearly two years after my grandfather death. She was the last of my grandparents and my only link to England, the country where my heart belongs and my second home (I have dual nationality).

I might not have had a very close or deep relationship with her, and although still wonder what she thought of me or if she loved me (unfortunately, the members of my family have never been known for expressing or showing their feelings) she has had a big influence on me as she was an admirable cook and baker who always delighted everybody with her divine creations. Eventhough she was not the attentionate, generous and present grandmother I dreamt of having, I will always remember her for being a remarkable person when it came to handling the pots and pans or to whip up the most palatable Sunday roast.

I particularly respect and thank my Nan for having been extremely talented in the kitchen and for being my culinary guide. She was a person who showed me what traditional British food is supposed to taste like, whose cooking skills I have always wanted to acquire and whom I considered an authority in all things gourmet. She was clearly gifted in that domain (not only though - she also mastered other arts like painting, knitting, working with silver, etc...). I am so glad she indirectly motivated me to develop my craftiness for all things food-related. I really hope that from the heaven's above my granny is happy to see that I have surpassed her as a cook/baker and she is pleased with the adult I have become...

Unfortunately we have not spent much time together. My grandma was never enclined to share a moment of complicity with granddaughter. She rarely showed me how to prepare food and hated having me "in her feet" when she was busy making dishes or baking cakes. In those moments, my grandmother didn't want to have a kid around her.The only memory I have of me actually baking with my granny is when I begged her to make "Coffee Kisses" cookies with me. As I had a little tantrum and whined a lot, Nana reluctantly gave way to my wish and accepted to show me how to prepare that divine treat. She didn't know that more than 20 years later I'd be blogging about that exceptional event and fondly cherishing that memory...

~ My grandmother and I, Derbyshire summer 1980 ~

RIP Nan.I would have been extremely happy to hear you say "I love you"or that you were proud of me,but sadly I always waited for a sign of recognitions from you.It is such a pity so many words were unspoken...Anyway, I wish to thank you for all the good memories.Love & kisses.Rosa xxx

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My post being about endings and new beginnings, it is all naturally that I will present a recipe which marks the conclusion of wintertime and the commencement of spring. By baking the last "Pumpkin Pie" of the cold season, it is my way of celebrating the circle of life, the endless passing of time and the complimentarity of life and death.Last October I bought a few pumpkins to decorate my balcony table. They have kept very well and were exposed there until last week. Now that the nights are less cold and the days are a lot warmer, they have started to rot so as I hate to throw away food I decided to use my two small Japanese chestnut pumpkins ("Potimarron" in French) in order to put together a classic American "Pumpkin Pie".

As a child I was not keen on eating my mother's "Pumpkin Tarts" ("Tarte A La Courge", the Swiss equivalent of "Pumpkin Pie"), yet now I am very fond of that speciality. I remember that Fridays were officially called "tart days". A time of the week I particularly looked forward to as the weekend was very close (though I had to go to school on Saturday mornings, till 12pm) and we got to eat yummy stuff then.

My mother's seasonal tarts were always greeted with much excitement, but the only time I was a little less than thrilled by what was awaiting us at the dinner table was when "Pumpkin Tart" was on the menu.One of the reason why I had a certain aversion for that treat is because the pumpkin used wasn't the kind you'd make sweet desserts with, but rather savory dishes. It had too much of a vegetable flavor to be enjoyable. The other reason is that my parents were never big fans of hyper spicy pastries (my mother only incorporated a little nutmeg and cinnamon to her filling) and unlike Americans, they especially disliked using cinnamon with a heavy hand. So even if her tart was made with quality produce (pumpkins from the market) and double cream it lacked a bit of oomph as the filling was not as luscious and rich-tasting as the one of the US "Pumpkin Pie"...

Now that I bake my own "Pumpkin Pies" I can fully enjoy that confection and play around with aromas. A few years ago I blogged about my own adaptation of a recipe I found in the book "Culinaria US" (please forgive the bad picture!) and while it is quite flawless it doesn't mean that I am not interested in trying other recipes. After all I am a foodie who cannot stop being in search of perfection.

So, after having eyed an attractive "Pumpkin Pie" recipe in my new "Tartine" cookbook, I decided to see what it was worth. Well, I wasn't deceived by the end result as my boyfriend and I had no problem polishing off the pie dish within the next 48 hours.

As usual, I adapted it to my taste and replaced the brandy by rum, incorporated more salt to the pastry and added some additional cinnamon to the filling. Needless to say that Tartine Bakery's "Pumpkin Pie" was divine. It was not overly sweet, lusciously custardy, delightfully spicy, pleasantly earthy, wonderfully moist and had a refined flavoras well as a marvelously flaky and buttery pastry. In spite of being gorgeous I must point out that I might surely add a pinch of allspice to the filling the next time I bake this pie...

~ Tartine's Pumpkin Pie ~

Recipe adapted from the book "Tartine" by Elisabeth Prueitt and Chad Robertson.

Method for the "Flaky Pie Crust":1. Place the flour and salt in a big bowl.2. Add the butter.3. Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour until you obtain a mixture ressembling coarse sand.4. Pour the water over the crumbly mixture. Stir and toss with the help of a knive until the dough starts to come together.5. Continue mixing (very gently) until you obtain a ball of dough which is not completely smooth.6. On a floured surface, divide pastry in two, shape into a 2.5cm (1-inch) thick disk and wrap in plastic film.7. Put in the fridge and let rest for about 2 hours or overnight.8. Roll out one of the disks on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 0.3cm (1/8 inch thickness) and from the center toward the edge in all directions, without forgetting to lift and rotate the pastry a quarter turn every now and then.9. Once your pastry is a circle 1 1/2 inches larger than the tart pan, carefully transfer it to the buttered pan (folding in half, if necessary).10. Ease it into the bottom and sides of the pan and pressing into place. Trim the edge with a knife.11. Prick the bottom of the pastry with a fork, line with baking paper and fill with pie weights or dry beans.12. Preheat the oven to 190° C (375° F).13. Bake blind until the surface of the dough looks dry and has no opaque areas left, about 20 minutes.14. Remove from the oven and remove the paper as well as the weights/beans, then return the shell to the oven for an extra 2-5 minutes (if the center starts to rise, gently pierce with a knife tip).15. Let cool completely on a wire rack before filling.

Method For The "Pumpkin Filling":

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F).2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin purée, whole eggs, egg yolk, cream and rum until smooth.3. Add the the sugar, spices and salt. Mix until well blended.4. Pour the filling into the pie shell and bake for about 1 hour, or until the pie is just set but the center is ever so slightly jiggly (the filling continues to set as it cools).5. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Remarks:Make sure that you pumpkin purée is not too wet. Cook it a bit longer to let the liquid evaporate or place in a sieve overnight in order to get rid of the excess moisture.If you wish you cxan replace the rum by brandy, cognac, whisky or sherry.You can add a little more sugar to the filling if you find that it is not sweet enough.

107 comments:

I'm sorry for your loss and it was interesting to read about your reflections on your relationship with your grandmother. I'm truly sorry that you weren't able to have the relationship that you wished; however, it is clear by some of your memories and the photo you shared, that in some way you were loved and cherished.

Recently, I haven't seen any cooking pumpkins around here otherwise I would be rushing out to make this recipe. My girls have been wanting to make a pie, and I've wanted to find a good pumpkin recipe. Perhaps I'll have to break down and purchase the canned stuff.

This blog really touched me personally- between the music, the disconnect with your grandmother, and your recipe for pumpkin pie. My grandmother was equally distant, but I still cried hard and missed her when she passed- I'm sorry for your loss and I understand the wistfulness for what could have been! As for the pumpkin pie- I have a fall tradition of baking one with my girls, and this recipe looks wonderful, I'm going to give it a try!

Very sorry to hear about your grandmother's passing. For what it's worth, many families are either distant and/or messy, mine included, so I can certainly relate.

What I love most about this post are glimpses of the little you - so adorable - and that you focused on pumpkin, a fall favorite, while everyone else is fast forwarding to spring things. Unseasonably delicious. : )

Rosa, your beautiful and honest post meant so much to me today. Mostly because it reflects my feelings about my grandmother who passed away. I longed for her love and affection but received neither. I DID receive her love of split pea soup and homemade bread. And I cherish that. :-)

Beautiful tribute to your Nana. May she rest in Peace! Every little memory with your Nana is worth to cherish. Not everyone can easily show their affection toward other, even to family member. I am sure you can sense the love that they give. My heart goes with you Rosa.

Sorry to hear about your loss. My thoughts are with you during these trying times. I only had regular contact with one grandma so totally understand. Look after yourself and keep the spirits up, and keep smiling.

This is a very beautiful and fitting tribute to your grandmother. Sorry to hear about the relationship you shared with her when you were younger...it's good that you focused on her strong attributes. The pie looks delicious too Rosa.

I'm sorry you didn't have a closer relationship with your Grandmother. I hardly saw mine but she was the sweetest loving little thing, I don't think anyone could have not loved her. She was a great cook too. That's my Mom's Mom. My Dad's Mom was another story!!!! I think I only saw her about twice in my life and that was enough.

I am so sorry for your loss Rosa, but I think your post is very heart-felt and I love that even though your relationship is not what you had wished for, you are able to remember all the good things about her! BIG HUGS

I am very sorry to read that you have lost your grandmother and that you are left with unresolved feelings. My grandmother was very similar in her attitudes toward me. After many years, I am able to be sad for her because she denied herself the joy she could have experienced if she could have expressed her love openly.

You certainly inherited culinary skills and have much to be proud of. I hope with you that your grandmother is looking down on you with pride and love.

I too am so sorry for your loss, dear Rosa. I never knew my maternal grandmother and I have often wondered whether we would have had a "meaningful" relationship. My father's mother only spoke Italian and like your Nan she often told us to get away from under foot, only in Italian...

Your Pumpkin Pie is a fine tribute to the changing of the seasons. I admire your prospective and truly appreciate your heartfelt post and "spoken" pictures.

I'm sorry for your loss. I'm truly sorry that you weren't able to have the relationship that you wished with her. Family is a complicated subject for me. But looking at your pics, you had some great memories captured with her.

"Don't cry before it's over. Smile because it happened"WOW. so powerful. Rosa, so sorry to read about your Nan. Hold tight to the good stuff, looks like there was plenty of that. Pumpkin can make anyone smile :) xo

Powerful post and so heartfelt! I think being a grandmother is such an important role it is too bad a lot of grandparents fail at meeting expectations children place on them; I was lucky to have a wonderful grandmother and wish my children could have had one like her. This pie is simple and sublime. Love the tartine bakery that I used to go to all the time in SF.

Rosa, I am so sorry about the loss of your grandmother; you wrote such a lovely tribute to her! I think it is so nice that you have dual citizenship with England. I would love to do that someday with Italy. The pie AND your photos look perfect!!!

I hate to be stereotypical but many British families do not wear their hearts on their sleeves. I myself come from a very reserved family. I am sorry to hear about the loss of your grandmother. I am sure she loved you and expressed it in her own way. Your poignant post is a good reminder for us all to express oursleves every day!!

My deepest condolences Rosa. May your Nana rest in peace. I spent my entire childhood very close to both my sets of grandparents. I was very fortunate. Even if you did not talk much grandparents always hold a special place for their grandkids and the photographs of you speak a lot!

So sorry about your grandma :(, this is a lovely tribute to her. Hope you are ok in this sad time.The pie you made looks delicious, I would love to try a bit of this as we don't have things such as pumpkin pie in the UK.

Blood being thicker than water is so true when relating to the how and why of certain family ties...especially when they are so difficult to understand.

I lost my Nonna when she was a young 95...a special woman and very influential in my life...she was however not as affectionate as I would have liked.Rosa, I totally get you. Sorry to read of her passing.

Rosa, I am sorry for your loss...so nice that you dedicated this post to her...we are all different and expression sometimes is very difficult, but from the pictures I am sure that she loved you. The pumpkin tart looks delicious, perfectly baked. Hope you have a great week ahead :-)

So very sorry for the loss of your Grandmother Rosa. My Grandma just turned 90, but still know the day she passes will possibly be soon : ( She is one of my best friends. The pie looks amazing! and your photos always amaze me!

I'm sorry for your loss, Rosa. Thank you for sharing your memories of your grandmother and this delicious recipe. I really admire you--you always work so hard on blog and are so dedicated. All the best.

So sorry to hear of the loss of your grandmother. It is sad that some people do not know how to show affection. She probably loved you immensely just never knew how to show it. How could she not? You were adorable:)

Sorry to hear about the loss of your grandmother but 84 is a very respectable age. She might not have been all that you wanted her to be at least you had she inspired you with cooking! Lovely old photos too!

I'm so sorry, Rosa. This post makes my heart ache. I have my maternal grandmother and my paternal grandfather still alive so anytime you need or want some love from a grandparent, I am more than willing to share mine. At least you had one cherished moment in the kitchen with your Nan yet you gained immense inspiration and talent from her.Your pie is incredible and is one of my all time favorite pies.

I'm so sorry to hear about your loss Rosa because I know how dear your links to Derbyshire are to you. I think of you every time I go through Belper during my visits. What a truly beautiful tribute to your Grandmother and the photos of your pumpkin pie are some of your finest. Take care dear friend in these sad days.

I'm sorry for your loss, Rosa. But at least she passed away peacefully and will live on in your heart. Though she wasn't super close/expressive toward you, it's lovely to hear how she's passed on her love of food and cooking to you and I'm sure she was happy to see that in her heart.

I am so sorry for your loss and your reflections remind us how precarious and mixed our relationships are. As we approach my dear late brother's birthday I've been thinking of all of this too, of life and love and family. You have given us a thoughtful, emotional post. Thank you and sending you a huge hug... you are special Rosa, and I count on more years of getting to know you better.

And a scrumptious pumpkin pie. Funny, my pumpkin pie post was the one I posted after I learned of my brother's illness. It does so much embody autumn and the circle of life, doesn't it?

I also come from a British family and never really knew there was any other way until I met my Italian and Portuguese neighbours parents. We are not known for being openly gregarious and I am sure that it is a trait to look at the world from a distance but I am sure your grandmother loved you, she just didn't know how to show it. Life is what we make it.